Cycle and be amazed! 3 cycling routes to explore Lake Balaton in winter

About the tour:
Duration: 2 hours 34 minutes
Length: 25.7 km
Route: Gyenesdiás, Keszthely, Vállus, Balatongyörök, Vonyarcvashegy

An unmissable tour for beginners is the Bakonyerdő tour in the Balaton Highlands, recommended by the experts of BalatonBike365. You can tackle this route with average fitness level, or even with a small child, as most of the sections wind through traffic-free areas. Wonderful forest sections, unparalleled panoramas, friendly rest areas, sweaty climbs and pleasant descents alternate on this tour. Wherever you start from, you must follow the green D sign. We recommend Gyenesdiás as the best starting point. From here, the ascent is steep up to the Keszthelyi Mountains, but from Büdöskút to Balatongyörök, it is downhill all the way.

The circular route starts at the crossroads of the Imre Oppel walkway in Gyenesdiás, and from here, the sign leads to the Pilikáni rest area. Then comes a wild forest section with a slight climb. You can get some relief at the covered Büdöskúti rest area – from here, you just have to roll downhill! The Bélapi rest area offers a fantastic panoramic view, after which we can resume cycling on the asphalt road. Soon we will reach the shores of Lake Balaton and the end of the adventure. You can rest after the tour at Móni Kövérné Kalmár, aka Mónisüti, where you can enjoy phenomenal Italian coffee and homemade cakes even in winter.

About the tour:
Duration: 3 hours
Length: 30.2 km
Route: Keszthely, Gyenesdiás, Vonyarcvashegy, Balatongyörök

The 30-kilometre tour from Keszthely is a real physical and spiritual recharge, where you can get a glimpse of the extremely rich Festetics heritage. But we can not only fill up with culture, we can also visit the ZOO commemorating Imre Festetics, the House of Nature Visitor Centre, and drink wine in the Darnay Winery in Gyenesdiás, or in the former Festetics manor press house, the Helikon Taverna. At the latter gastro stop, we warmly recommend the dishes with Festetics fantasy names. If you choose this tour, be sure to visit the only votive fishermen’s chapel in our country, the shrine at the top of St. Michael’s Hill, with an unparalleled panorama.

Starting from the castle, follow the purple ‘A’ sign through the Festetics ZOO and the former quarry. From here, pedal towards Vonyarcvashegy, and then through the Helikon Taverna up to St. Michael’s Hill. Next is the Szépkilátó (i.e. Beautiful Outlook Tower) in Balatongyörök, from where we follow the purple C sign back to our starting point, the castle. If you are not in a hurry, be sure to get off the bike at Balatongyörök, where you will see a fairytale setting, a sycamore grove of trees over 100 years old. We are not selling a grab bag: the trees of Methuselahian age were planted by the Festetics family. If you get back to Keszthely with a queasy stomach, head to Pajti, where you can choose from a seasonally changing menu of items such as a variety of oriental dishes, Italian wonder pastas, wild wraps and quesadillas, as well as a kids’ menu. And our limbs will certainly be warmed up effectively by an unadulterated hot chocolate!

About the tour:
Duration: 2 hours 20 minutes
Length: 23.5 km
Route: Pécsely, Barnag, Vászoly, Balatonudvari, Örvényes, Aszófő.

The third and most challenging tour route of the BalatonBike365 is the Hideg-hegy peak tour, with a considerable ascent. But don’t worry, the magnificent panoramic views, the unique Lake Balaton Highlands atmosphere, the rugged topography of the region and the unrivalled gastronomic delights are worth the effort. And if you want to fully immerse yourself in the experience, choose an e-bike instead of a traditional bike.

Start the circular tour from the Huszár Guesthouse in Örvényes, then head towards Vászoly. The ascent starts treacherously, but after a few kilometres, you can be sure that you are going uphill! Soon we reach Vászoly, and the cosy Zománc Bistro, which welcomes weary adventurers on weekends even in winter. It is definitely worth taking a break here, and asking for a big bowl of Palóc soup in grandma’s red casserole, for example. Once back on your bike, you will soon reach the Hideg-hegy (Cold Mountain), and after enjoying the view of Lake Balaton, stop at the Hét kenyér zarándokpékség (Seven Breads Pilgrimage Bakery). Booking required. Fill up on delicious Transylvanian sourdough bread and other delicacies. We continue along a forest road to Pécsely, where several wineries cross our path; Balogh Winery, Mészáros Winery and Kálmán Winery happily welcome cyclists. Soon we arrive in Aszófő, just a stone’s throw from our starting point.

Whichever tour you choose, building on the recommendations of BB365, among others, you can have an unforgettable experience! But remember one thing: taking photos and relaxing a bit is highly recommended!